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01/05/2006

Ministers Consecrate Alito Hearing Room

WASHINGTON, Jan. 5 /Christian Newswire/ -- The hearing room that will be used next week by the US Senate Judiciary Committee in the confirmation process for Judge Samuel A. Alito's nomination to the Supreme Court, was consecrated today by anointing oil and prayers offered by three ministers.

The Reverends Rob Schenck (pronounced SHANK), an Evangelical minister and president of the National Clergy Council, Patrick Mahoney, a Presbyterian and director of the Christian Defense Coalition and Grace Nwachukwu, a Pentecostal and officer with the Association of Female Clergy, conducted a 15-minute service outside the doors of Room 216, an austere chamber in the US Senate Hart Building frequently used for televised proceedings including recent confirmation hearings for Chief Justice John Roberts.

The service included Bible readings, prayers and a quote from America's first chief justice, John Jay, who wrote to a colleague in 1818, "The moral or natural law was given by the Sovereign of the universe to all mankind; with them it was co-eval, and with them it will be co-existent. Being founded by infinite wisdom and goodness on essential right, which never varies, it can require no amendment or alteration."

The ministers explained to reporters that the service was not a pro- or anti-Alito statement, but was meant to commit the confirmation process, one of the most important acts of government, to the will of God.

"We deliberately ended our service of consecration with the Lord's prayer, " said Reverend Schenck, "because it includes the appeal, 'Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.' That was our purpose, to give this process to God and pray that His will and not our own prevails."